# Re-use of research data in the social sciences. Use and users of digital data archive

## TL;DR

This paper explores how social science data from digital archives are reused, focusing on download patterns and user behavior.

## Contribution

The study introduces the use of enriched log data to analyze data archive usage in the social sciences.

## Key findings

- Quantitative datasets are increasingly downloaded, with a focus on a small share of datasets.
- Survey datasets from research organizations are most frequently downloaded for longitudinal studies.
- Students are the main users, and heavy downloaders contribute significantly to overall downloads.

## Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the re-use of research data deposited in digital data archive in the social sciences. The study examines the quantity, type, and purpose of data downloads by analyzing enriched user log data collected from Swiss data archive. The findings show that quantitative datasets are downloaded increasingly from the digital archive and that downloads focus heavily on a small share of the datasets. The most frequently downloaded datasets are survey datasets collected by research organizations offering possibilities for longitudinal studies. Users typically download only one dataset, but a group of heavy downloaders form a remarkable share of all downloads. The main user group downloading data from the archive are students who use the data in their studies. Furthermore, datasets downloaded for research purposes often, but not always, serve to be used in scholarly publications. Enriched log data from data archives offer an interesting macro level perspective on the use and users of the services and help understanding the increasing role of repositories in the social sciences. The study provides insights into the potential of collecting and using log data for studying and evaluating data archive use.